Conversations
by Dorotea Senjak
Summary: A relationship between Hermione and Draco is explored through glimpses of their conversations -- Includes snogging and sniping
1. Conversation in the Forbidden Forest

Title: Conversation in the Forbidden Forest  
  
Author: Dorotea  
  
Pairing: Draco/Hermione  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
~*~  
  
"I know we don't want to be seen, but meeting in the Forbidden Forest is a bit extreme, isn't it? If we get caught -- "Hermione whispered to the cloaked boy standing next to her.  
  
"Do you want Peeves rushing about the castle singing bad rhymes about your underpants?"  
  
Hermione arched a brow. "You are not going to see my underpants."  
  
"I'm not? I'm going back to Hogwarts then. It's too damn cold out here just to carry on a conversation. I have nothing against good conversation, as long as there is a bit of bodily warmth as well. Honestly, Hermione, if you just want to hold a conversation, you could just owl me."  
  
"You know what your problem is Malfoy?"   
  
"Questionable taste in women?"  
  
"I will not hesitate slapping you. Again. Your problem is you enjoy the sound of your own voice too much. My lips are blue. Kiss me or *I'm* going back to the castle."  
  
"Blue? How very.what's the word for it? Punk. How very punk of you, Granger. I would've never guessed ---" Draco was unable to finish the sentence because Hermione had grabbed his cloak, pulled him closer to her and began kissing him soundly.  
  
They kissed for several minutes until they heard voices in the distance. "Bloody hell, we should have just gone to the Astronomy Tower," Draco said.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure you and I being seen in the Astronomy Tower together would not cause any gossip."  
  
Draco chuckled dryly. "It would be entertaining to see the look on Weasel's face."  
  
"His name is Ron."  
  
"Whatever," Draco said, grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her deeper into the forest as the voices drew closer. "It's probably that bumbling fool, Hagrid. We all know he can't keep a secret."  
  
"Must you constantly insult my friends?"  
  
"Yes, well, I must admit it's not very challenging as they make it so easy, but you are very cute when you defend them."  
  
They settled in against a large tree and Hermione leaned a bit against Draco. "You think I'm cute?"  
  
"No, I just snog you because I lost a bet with Goyle."  
  
"That's fine, because I only snog you because Lavender dared me."  
  
"Bookworm."  
  
"Snob."  
  
"Frizz head."  
  
"Pug face."  
  
"Pug face? You're going to pay for that one, Granger."  
  
"It'll have to wait until our next meeting. I need to do research for Charms still."  
  
Draco snorted. "Is it research for extra credit?"  
  
Hermione didn't answer for a long moment, but finally admitted, "Yes, it is."  
  
"You don't need extra credit."  
  
"But --" Hermione was cut off by Draco pouncing on her. His lips pressed heatedly against hers as they kissed deeply.  
  
Draco manoeuvred Hermione up against the tree, pressing his body against hers. His hand slid inside her cloak and tried to find its way through what Draco thought must be at least ten layers of clothing. He broke off the kiss. "Are you wearing armour as well?" He asked in frustration.   
  
"There is snow on the ground. It's cold; you'd have me wear nothing but silk lingerie?"  
  
"Do you have silk lingerie?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "As much fun as it is to have you pawing at me, Malfoy, I really do have to get back," Hermione said as she pushed Malfoy back.  
  
"I'm getting visuals now, Granger. Black silk? Red, perhaps?"  
  
"Have sweet dreams, Draco," Hermione said as she kissed his cold cheek lightly as she turned and crunched through the snow towards Hogwarts.  
  
Draco sighed heavily. "As if I'm going to be able to sleep now!" He called after her. He kicked the snow, giving her a head start back towards the castle. It would be bad if one of them got caught sneaking back in, but it would be disaster if they were caught sneaking back in together.   
  
"Foolish relationship," Draco scolded himself as he waited. "Muggle born. A Gryffindor. Middle class," he kicked the snow. "And not even easy," he shook his head and started slowly back toward the castle. "Well, if it were simple, it'd be boring," he decided, smiling to himself. 


	2. Conversation in the Library

Hermione pulled a book off a shelf in the Library and casually flipped through it.  
  
"How is this a good place to meet?" An annoyed voice asked quietly from a short distance away.  
  
Hermione sighed and replaced the book onto the shelf, immediately pulling another one off and opening it. "Maybe you would like to come by the Gryffindor common room later and we can snuggle by the fireplace," Hermione answered in a deadpan voice without looking at the figure.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes, his back still to Hermione, he replied, "Yes, how cozy that would be. Just you, me, and a thousand evil eyes upon us."  
  
"I said Gryffindor common room, not the Slytherin common room."  
  
"Ha. Ha. Seeing as we're not allowed in each other's common rooms, perhaps the Astronomy Tower?" Draco asked, turning toward Hermione as he opened a book in front of his face. "I can only imagine what the Gryffindor common room looks like. Probably decorated with fuzzy bunnies."  
  
Hermione turned toward Draco, lowering her book. "Trust me, it's much better than that dungeon of a common room that Slytherin has."  
  
Draco lowered his book. "You say that as if you had seen it."  
  
Before Hermione could answer, Draco saw Harry approaching them and quickly made a warning face at Hermione and raised his book back over his face.  
  
"Did you find that book on calming charms, Hermione?" Harry asked. "Ron and I could really use it."  
  
"Um, yes, here," Hermione said, holding out the book in her hands to Harry.  
  
Harry nodded. "Thanks," he said to Hermoine as he turned to make his way back to the tables. "Er...Hermione, this book is about cleaning charms."  
  
"Oh! Sorry, Harry," Hermione said, flushing a bit as she took the book from Harry's hands and pulled off another book off the shelf. "This is the one you need," she said proffering the book to Harry.  
  
"Thanks, Hermione," Harry said. Glancing sideways at Malfoy, Harry asked, "Is Malfoy bothering you, Hermione?"  
  
"No," Hermione said with a dismissive wave at Malfoy. "He was just leaving."  
  
"Good-bye then," Harry said to Malfoy.  
  
Draco lowered his book. "I have a right to use the Library, Potter," he sneered.  
  
"Yes, of course," Hermione said, answering before Harry had a chance to. "But you might find the book easier to read if you put it right side up."  
  
Draco glanced down at the book he was holding upside down and threw a dark glance at Hermione.  
  
Harry chuckled. "I see you have everything under control, Hermione. I'll see you at dinner."  
  
"Yes, see you then," Hermione said to the departing Harry.  
  
"Might be easier to read if you put it right side up..." Draco mimicked Hermione's voice. "Bloody..."  
  
Hermione's eyes darted quickly around the Library and she held a finger up to her lips signaling Draco to be silent. "Wait a minute, then follow me," Hermoine whispered before taking off.  
  
Draco watched Hermione walk behind the Restricted Section and he carelessly shoved the book he was holding onto the shelf behind him. The book fell with a sharp clomp soon after Draco had walked away. Draco didn't notice as he had stopped at a table of Slytherins and was chatting up Pansy at the time.  
  
Draco escaped from the table of Slytherins as quickly as he could without arising suspicion. After spending time with Hermione, Draco found that it was almost painful to carry on a conversation with Pansy, who seemed to talk about nothing but herself, but it was necessary to keep up appearances. He threw a disdainful look at Harry and Ron as he walked past their table, but that was not an act on his part.  
  
Hermione waited for Draco in a dark and dusty aisle in the back of the Library. "The History of Magic section," she said to Draco as he approached. "Not very many people come back here."  
  
"Good," Draco replied moving in and pressing his lips firmly to Hermione's.  
  
Hermione returned the kiss for a long moment and then gave Draco a slight push, pulling back from him. "I didn't say no one ever comes back here," she whispered. "We still have to be careful."  
  
Draco gave a disappointed sigh, his hand finding Hermione's waist and giving her small squeeze through her robes. "We need an invisibility cloak."  
  
Hermione grinned at him. "And we would do what with that?" She teased.  
  
"Pull it over ourselves and --" Draco paused to waggle his eyebrows at Hermione, "get close to each other."  
  
Hermione arched a brow at Draco. "Honestly, Draco, is that all you think about?"  
  
Draco looked appalled. "No, I think about Quidditch and wealth as well."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at him, but grinned. She gave his cheek a quick peck and then laid her head on his shoulder. Draco kissed her forehead and pulled her hair, twirling it in his fingers.  
  
"This is insanity, isn't it?" Hermione asked.  
  
Draco didn't have to ask what insanity that was. "Yes," he said with a slight sigh. "It is, but..." his voice trailed off and he kissed Hermione's cheek.  
  
"But, what?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I don't want to stop."  
  
Hermione swallowed. "Good," she said, but then she added, "But..."  
  
Draco released Hermione with a sigh and leaned against the bookshelf. Not looking at her he said, "But -- It's not like you're going to come home with me for the Holidays. Have dinner with my parents, celebrate the New Year at the famous Malfoy Manor New Year Bash," Draco shook his head and sighed.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure I'd be quite the thing there, a mudblood in Malfoy Manor."  
  
"Don't say that word."  
  
"Mudblood?"  
  
Draco turned to look at Hermione. "I...was wrong to call you that."  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"I stand by calling you a bushy-headed bookworm, though." Draco added with a wry grin.  
  
Hermione chuckled softly. "Have your feelings really changed though, Draco?"  
  
"About Muggles?"  
  
"Yes, do you still hate us?"  
  
Draco sighed and looked down at the floor. "I never thought about not hating Muggles. I just...I just did it. I never thought about the logic of it or the reason for it. I just believed what I had been told."  
  
"I know, Draco," Hermione said, kissing Draco's cheek lightly. "Your father --"  
  
"I don't want to talk about him," Draco interrupted. "I can't. Not yet."  
  
"Draco if this is --," Hermione started, but then she stopped, reconsidering. The day would come when the situation had to be discussed, when a stand would have to be taken, but today did not have to be that day. "I understand." She took his hand and held it warmly in hers, her fingers caressing his hand in a reassuring manner.  
  
Draco met Hermione's eyes and stared for a moment before looking away. He tried to think of a reply, but he found his pride wouldn't let him speak.  
  
"Speechless, Malfoy?" Hermione quipped. "I shall have to record this in my journal for posterity -- 'November 20th, the day Draco Malfoy was rendered speechless by a Muggle.' I shall write it in green ink even."  
  
Draco glared in mock anger at Hermione, relieved she had reverted to teasing him again. "You are quite the witch sometimes, Granger."  
  
Hermione grinned and squeezed his hand. She surveyed the aisle to see if it was all clear and then pulled Draco to her, "Kiss your witch, Malfoy."  
  
"You are so bossy, Granger," Draco said with a smirk, "But alas I am under your spell."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at his cliché, but leaned forward, tilting her face towards his. Their hands still clasped, Draco and Hermione began to kiss, softly at first, but gradually building up steam. After several minutes of snogging, their faces parted and they stood in silence, both breathing heavily.  
  
The sound of footsteps nearby caused them to quickly part ways. "Yes, well, it's almost dinner time," Hermione said, still breathing hard. "Owl me later."  
  
Draco nodded and turned, briskly walking away. "My witch," he muttered under his breath, "Hmmm..."  
  
Hermione grinned at his departing figure, and then shook her head, sighing softly. "A Slytherin, a Malfoy, son of Death Eaters," she sighed and scolded herself. "Hermione Granger, you're definitely not going to find the answers to this relationship in a book." 


	3. Conversation on the Quidditch Pitch

Hermione walked across the Quidditch Pitch and ducked between the drapes that covered the stands.  
  
Draco was waiting for her, he had stretched his cloak out on the ground and was sitting with a book open on his lap. He didn't look up immediately, but finished scratching out a sentence on a piece of parchment first.  
  
Hermione sat down next to him and looked at what he had written. "You're wrong," she said. "Those are not the right ingredients for a Veritaserum potion."  
  
Draco shrugged. "Snape will pass me whether I have it right or not."  
  
Hermione frowned; took the quill out of his hand and scribbled corrections on his parchment. "You'll have to rewrite it later, but this is at least the right answer."  
  
Draco grinned at Hermione. "I think I shall just hand it in this way and see if Snape recognizes your handwriting, Granger."  
  
Hermione hit his arm lightly. "That would be a rather dangerous game, I believe."  
  
Draco chuckled and then leaned over to kiss Hermione. "This entire relationship is a dangerous game."  
  
"True," Hermione said, snuggling next to Draco. "It's more than a game though, isn't it?"  
  
Draco didn't answer, but instead unwrapped her Gryffindor scarf and began nuzzling her neck, alternately kissing and gently nipping the exposed flesh.  
  
Hermione moaned softly in response to his ministrations and moved her hand to his leg, caressing his lean thigh. Draco lifted his face to hers and kissed her, his tongue sliding smoothly into her mouth. He moaned through the kiss as her hand moved higher up his leg. His hand moved under her cloak, caressing her form over her thick school clothes and soon slid down to go under her jumper, but her hand caught his and held it back.  
  
Draco broke off the kiss, but remained close enough to Hermione's face that she could feel his warm breath against her cheek. "What?" he asked in a husky whisper.  
  
Hermione's cheeks reddened. "I, um, think that's a good place to stop," she looked into his grey eyes and saw an amused, slightly disappointed acceptance. "For now," she added, kissing him lightly on the cheek as she squeezed his hand.  
  
"As you wish," he answered, kissing her again, deeply, soundly and passionately.  
  
Hermione felt her body heating madly and she pressed it into Draco's body, desiring only to be closer to him. After several minutes, when she felt surely she was going to explode she pulled back.  
  
Breathing heavily, she said, "You're not making this easy for me."  
  
"You're making it rather hard for me as well," Draco smirked.  
  
Hermione's already flushed cheeks darkened further, but she rolled her eyes at him and playfully hit his chest.  
  
Draco wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to him. Kissing the top of her head he said, "This is where it all began for us."  
  
Hermione smiled wistfully at the memory. "Yes, it was. After the Quidditch match. I was so surprised to see you on the field when I returned looking for my Arithmancy book."  
  
"Well, we lost the match. It wasn't as if I was missing a party."  
  
"You looked so alone in the middle of the pitch. You were just standing there, looking skyward, your eyes roaming the playing field as if you were replaying the entire game in your head."  
  
Draco chuckled. "I was replaying the entire game in my head. I was trying to figure out when Pothead spotted the snitch."  
  
"Potter," Hermione corrected automatically. "It was a close game," she added sympathetically.  
  
"Close only matters in Divination. In Quidditch, there is only win or lose."  
  
"Is that why your father left immediately after the game?" Hermione asked quietly.  
  
Draco snorted. "He didn't leave immediately. He told me how disappointed he was first."  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco," Hermione said, tilting her head so she could see his face.  
  
"I'm not sorry," Draco said, gazing out in the distance. "My family may not be warm and fuzzy, but at least they're rich. I have you for." his voice trailed off.  
  
Hermione waited expectantly, but Draco didn't finish his thought. She lifted her head and kissed his cheek and then his lips. "Yes, you have me, Draco Malfoy."  
  
Draco returned her kiss lightly, but then pulled back. "That day on the Quidditch pitch. did you just approach me because you felt sorry for me?"  
  
"No," Hermione answered truthfully. "You were bleeding. Remember?"  
  
"Ah, yes, my eye."  
  
"I feared you had a concussion because it wasn't like you not to run to the hospital wing when you're injured."  
  
Draco made a face at Hermione. "Yes, I did consider seeing if I could get Pansy to make a big fuss over me," he looked askance at Hermione. "She so enjoys pampering me, you know."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at Draco.  
  
"But, after my father's tender loving words, which were nothing I had not heard countless times before, something changed inside of me. I suddenly didn't care about gaining his approval. I realized nothing would ever be enough. I would never be smart enough, fast enough, and successful enough - so I closed that door. I decided I would do the best I could, but not for him, for myself."  
  
Hermione smiled at him, her warm eyes shining with approval. "I could tell something was different. I knew when I walked over and spoke to you. Your eyes.they were different. You didn't look at me as if I were beneath your contempt."  
  
Draco laughed. "When you called my name and I turned toward you.it was like I was seeing you for the first time. I mean, I still noticed the bushy hair and the bad fashion sense, but I saw something else too. I saw that you were more concerned for me, a girl that I've taunted and teased the entire time I've known her, than my own parents were. More concerned than my teammates, more concerned than my House. You had no reason to care if I fell over dead on the field, but for some reason you did care. I was amazed by you suddenly."  
  
"Yet you said to me, 'Granger, lose your pets?'"  
  
Draco shrugged. "Well, I was afraid if I fell down to my knees and immediately begged you to go out with me; you'd have me committed to St. Mungo's."  
  
"I would've," Hermione said. "I was shocked enough when you asked me after I finished mending your eye."  
  
"Honestly, I was rather surprised myself. Especially when you said yes to me."  
  
"I was intrigued. I feared it was a prank of some kind, but I was inexplicably drawn to you anyway."  
  
"That's the Malfoy charm. We're irresistible to women."  
  
Hermione arched a brow. "Only if you're using a forbidden love potion."  
  
"Watch it, bushy head," Draco said, pulling Hermione's hair.  
  
Grinning, Hermione let Draco pull his face to hers for another kiss. When Draco's lips had parted from hers, she said, "I need to get back to the Library."  
  
Draco laughed.  
  
"What's funny about that?" Hermione asked.  
  
Draco shook his head. "I've been thinking, Granger."  
  
"Uh oh. Is your head aching?"  
  
"Spare me the lame Gryffindor attempts at wit. I've been thinking about you, Granger. About us."  
  
"Hmm." Hermione swallowed, a nervous, fluttery feeling in her stomach suddenly, but excitement coursed through her as well, as if she were about to sit for exams. "What have you been thinking, Malfoy?"  
  
"I've been thinking about how the Library is your favorite place at Hogwarts, how you chew your quill while you read, how you twist your hair nervously during exams.," Draco paused for a moment and twirled Hermione's hair around his finger before continuing. "How when Snape insults one of your fellow Gryffindors your eyes flash and your hands curl into fists, how books are your security blanket, how your eyes sparkle with a secret happiness when I catch your eye, no matter where we are, no matter who is next to you. I've thought of all these things, how you study far too much.and."  
  
Hermione waited with baited breath for Draco to continue, but he only stared at her. "And?" She asked, trying, but failing to keep the urgency out of her voice.  
  
Draco's lips curled into a lazy grin. Hermione considered slapping him, but he spoke before she had the chance. "And, Hermione Granger, I love all these things about you."  
  
He reached up to her face and traced his index finger across her cheek and around her mouth. "I love you, Granger."  
  
Hermione felt tears welling up in the corner of her eyes and she had to stifle back a slight joyful sob to ask, "Really?"  
  
"No, not really. I thought if I threw you off, I might be able to get higher marks than you for once."  
  
Hermione stared at him, frozen for a long second.  
  
"Yes, really! I love you!" Draco exclaimed finally. "Even though you're a bit thick for a clever witch sometimes."  
  
Hermione stuck out her tongue at him and gave him a push. Draco fell backwards in an exaggerated motion. Hermione slid on top of him to hold him down. "Malfoy, you're such a prat!"  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I love you, too," she said, smiling down at him.  
  
Hermione lowered her face to his and kissed him ardently. Their hands explored each other's bodies through the layers of clothes as they rolled around the ground. Draco ended up on top and he lifted his head from Hermione's neck to say, "I have something for you."  
  
"Malfoy, just because I said I loved you, doesn't mean -"  
  
"No, not that." Malfoy said as he rolled off Hermione and reached for his bag. "Although, I would not turn that down."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at him as she sat up, adjusting her clothing as Draco rummaged in his bag. He pulled out a small silver box and handed it to Hermione.  
  
"I want you to have this," he said, almost shyly. "It's a Malfoy family heirloom."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened and she opened the box carefully, as if she half- expected something to jump out and bite her fingers off. Resting inside the dark green velvet-lined box was a heart-shaped emerald-encrusted silver locket. "Oh.my..Draco, it's beautiful," she said, gently removing it from the box and holding it up. "It's not cursed is it?"  
  
"Not that I know of."  
  
Hermione opened the locket, inside was a moving picture of the two of them together. Hermione smiled at wonder at Draco. "How did you do that?"  
  
"I enchanted two separate pictures of us."  
  
Beaming, Hermione hugged Draco tightly. "Thank you," she said. "Shall I wear it? What if I'm asked where it came from?"  
  
Draco took the necklace from Hermione's head and unclasped it. "Of course you're going to wear it. Lift your frizzy hair and I'll put it on for you."  
  
Hermione mock frowned at him, but lifted her hair so he could easily clasp the necklace around her neck. When it was on, she looked down at it. "It is beautiful, but the emeralds are in the shape of a dragon, don't you think people might start to connect us?"  
  
Draco shrugged. "I am rather surprised that no one in Slytherin has figured it out. Your fellow Gryffindorks on the other hand."  
  
Hermione cleared her throat at him and gave him a reproachful look.  
  
He sighed in mock protest, but then his eyes turned serious and his eyes darted to the locket resting on Hermione's school jumper. He fingered it thoughtfully and then tucked it under her blouse. "Keep it secret."  
  
She nodded at him and they kissed tenderly. "I will."  
  
They both stood and finished straightening their clothes and gathered up their bags. Their lips met again for a good-bye kiss.  
  
After their lips had parted, Draco put his hand on top of Hermione's cloak where the necklace lay buried under layers of clothing, touching her bare skin. "Keep it secret. For now," he said before turning quickly and sweeping out of the hidden area underneath the stands.  
  
"I will," Hermione repeated to the empty air where Malfoy had been. The necklace felt warm and reassuring against her skin. "But I am going to check, Cursed Objects of Prominent Wizarding Families, just to make sure," she said to herself as she picked up her heavy book bag and exited from the stands. "Love is grand, but knowledge is bloody handy as well." 


	4. Conversation in the Astronomy Tower

Hermione Granger stood at the top balcony of the Astronomy Tower and stared up at the stars as she absently played with a locket that hung around her neck.  This might not have been considered unusual behaviour for her, if she had been making notes on the positions of the stars for Astronomy class, but she was just standing and gazing. Not at all usual behaviour for her -- Hermione was not, by nature, a star gazer. Hermione didn't just gaze at stars and let her mind wander. If either of her best friends had seen her star gazing with a small whimsical smile upon her face, they'd probably have wondered if she had eaten one of Fred and George's experiments. 

The reason for Hermione's odd behaviour stealthily approached her back and wrapped his arms around her. She let her head fall back against his shoulder and said, "You're late."

"I ran into Crabbe and Goyle and had trouble losing them," Draco Malfoy answered in a low voice as he bent his head to kiss her. 

Hermione made an indistinctive murmur and turned in Draco's arms to face him. She moved her hands to his shoulders; one hand moved to his nape and pulled his face to hers.  Their lips met and they kissed, starting slow and building to a fiery fury. Their tongues danced a tango as Draco's hands managed to unclasp Hermione's robe and move deftly under her jumper. Hermione responded by unclasping Draco's robe and was struggling with removing his tie when Draco successfully unclasped her bra and drew his hand across her bare breast, sending jolts of ecstasy through Hermione's body. Hermione suddenly broke off the kiss and attempted to back away from Draco, although his grasp wouldn't let her go far. 

Breathing heavily she attempted to speak coherently, "Um...okay....oh....let's see...how...oh my," Hermione stuttered, as Draco's fingers fondled her hard nipple. "How was your day?" She managed to get out finally. 

"This is definitely the best part of my day," Draco whispered, kissing Hermione's neck as he continued to caress her breasts, his hand travelling between the objects of his desire. 

"Hmm..." Hermione murmured. "This is nice," she admitted, arching her back slightly, "but, Draco, we can't...I mean, I can't...I don't know."  
  
Draco halted his ministrations and met Hermione's eyes. "There's nothing to be scared of," he said softly.

"Yes, there is," she scoffed, untangling herself from his grasp and attempting to fix her clothing. "What about pregnancy?"

"A clever witch such as you knows there are several reliable ways to prevent that."

Hermione nodded, still fidgeting with her clothing. "I do, but it's not just that, Draco...I've never, you know, before."  
  
Draco cleared his throat to cover a slight laugh.  "I would have never guessed. You've always seemed like such a loose woman. Your best friends are boys, after all. Figured you were -- "

"This is not the time for your witty observations, Malfoy," Hermione said pointedly.

"Gryffindors," Draco muttered under his breath. He stood and stared out at the stars for a long moment, then tenderly pushed Hermione's hair back from her face and kissed her cheek lightly. "Hermione, do you trust me?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Mostly," Hermione answered.

Draco laughed softly. "Bloody hell, you're honest, aren't you?"

Hermione grinned slightly. "I only lie to Professors and other authority figures."

Draco chuckled again, his hand still combing through Hermione's hair. "That's why I love you, Granger."

"You can call me Hermione, you know."

Draco shook his head. "No, I really don't think I can. Herm perhaps?"

Hermione arched a brow. "I can push you off the tower. Everyone would just think it was another suicide."

"You have a very dark side, Hermy.  And another suicide?"

"Never mind. I'll call you Malfoy and you call me Granger. And am I the only student who has ever read, _Hogwarts, A History?"_

"Yes, you are the only one and you can call me Draco."  
  
"Not without laughing."

Draco mock frowned at Hermione, and nipped her neck, wrapping his arms around her. "I know somewhere we could go. A private place."

Hermione sighed softly, but she didn't move away from Draco. She put her hands on his waist and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you, Malfoy, but I'm....um….er… I've read books about it, of course, but.."

"You've read books about it,"  Draco deadpanned.  "It's not hard, well, actually it helps a lot if it is hard, but trust me, that's not a problem."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm can feel that's not a problem," she answered, then stood silently for a long moment. "You've done more than read books about it, haven't you?"

"Yes.  Pansy and another girl."

"Oh," said Hermione. "With Pansy recently?" she asked stiffly.

"No, not recently. Never at Hogwarts, it was during the summer, before you and I, started dati-- er, meeting secretly."

"Well, she must not have liked it too much if she doesn't mind you've stopped."

"She loved it," Draco said indignantly. "But she liked it so much, she decided to see how it was with just about every other boy in Slytherin, a few in Ravenclaw and I think she even went as far as to try it with a Hufflepuff.  So, quite obviously, that was the end of _that as Malfoys do not share."_

"Hmmm…she always did seem to be a bit of a slag.   Who was the other person?"

If there had been more light, Hermione would have seen Draco's cheeks were slightly red. "Er, Millicent Bulstrode," he muttered.

"Millicent Bulstrode?  That, that complete and utter cow?"

"It was at one of my parents' parties. I was a bit drunk, she took advantage of me."  
  
Hermione cocked an eyebrow at Draco.  "She took advantage of you?"

"I tried to get away, but she outweighs me by at least a stone."

"What sort of parties do your parents throw?"

"I refuse to answer that question despite the fact that you can not possibly think any less of my parents, even if I answered that question," Draco said, looking away from Hermione and out into the night sky.  "Nor could you probably think any less of them than I do," he finished quietly.

"Malf – Draco," Hermione said softy, caressing his cheek.  "Your parents don't deserve you."

Draco kissed her forehead.   "I have a question for you," he said, not meeting her gaze and fidgeting with the clasp on her robes.

"Dra – Malfoy, um, no, I'm just not ready, but it's not that I don't want to, because I do, it's just –"

  
Draco put a finger on her lips and shook his head.  "No, not that.  I may not be as smart as you, but I did figure out the answer to that question earlier in our conversation," he said with a wry grin.  "I want to ask you if…"  
  
"Yes?"  Hermione prompted when his voice trailed off.

"If…if you would go to the Yule Ball with me?"

Hermione let out a small gasp.   "You want us to go to the Yule Ball together?"

"Well, I rather assumed you would hex me if I tried to take someone else."

"I would," Hermione said.  "But, if we go together, everyone will know.  Your parents will find out eventually…and…"

"My parents will know before we finish our first dance, but, I just can't be bothered about what they think any longer.  I love you, Hermione Granger, and I want the world to know it."

Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco and gave him a tight hug and then kissed him on the lips.  "I love you too, Draco Malfoy," she said, as she sniffled a bit.

"Are you crying?"  Draco asked, wiping the tears away from Hermione's cheeks.

"I cry when I'm happy," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Interesting.   Malfoys don't even cry when they're sad.  So, that's a yes to the Yule Ball?"

"Yes," she said lifting her head and kissing him again.  "But the answer to the other question is still, not yet."

"I wasn't going to ask again," Draco said as if wounded.  "Tonight," he added with a smirk.

Before Hermione could answer, a distant sound of footsteps caused her to let go of Draco hurriedly, but not before giving him a quick kiss.  "Time to pretend we were just patrolling," they both said simultaneously, straightening their robes and heading off in opposite directions.

Draco walked the circular balcony of the Astronomy Tower, fixing his clothing as he walked.  "This is going to make the Christmas Holidays very interesting.  Might even warm up Malfoy Manor a bit," he muttered under his breath thinking of his parents' reactions to finding out he was dating Hermione Granger.  "Oh, I belong in St. Mungo's most assuredly," he sighed and then as he reflected upon this thought he added, "Hopefully my parents won't have me committed there."


End file.
